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Heyday for mobile subscribers
Bazlur Rahman
11/21/2005
Subscribers of mobile users are currently enjoying a comparatively cheaper call charge in the wake of serious competition by the five mobile operators including the state owned Teletalk Ltd.
Mobile operators are reducing call charge significantly to survive the competition started by different companies to capture the market in the least possible time, subscriber and mobile operator sources said.
There are five mobile phone companies in the country-GrameenPhone, AKTEL, Banlglalink, CityCell and Teletalk.
With over 5 million customers of GP, 2.2 million of AKETL, 4,00,000 of Banglalink, 3,00,000 of CityCell and 1,80,000 of Teletalk, the country's mobile sector is growing extremely fast, sometimes by over 100 per cent, market sources said.
Since the beginning of mobile operation, companies have been charging a flat rate of Tk 6 per minute excluding Value Added Tax for pre-paid subscribers. Recently, due to severe competition, all the companies have started reducing call charge.
GrameenPhone, the leading mobile giant with the largest number of subscribers, has reduced call charge by 20 to 60 per cent. Now the reduced tariff for Easy Pre-paid and Easy Gold subscribers is Tk 4.4 per minute from GP to GP during peak hours (6am 12am) and 4.8 for GP to other networks and during off-peak hour Tk 3 per minute (12am to 6am).
GP Easy Pre-paid subscribers can enjoy My Time ranging 6 am to 9 am or 1 pm to 4 pm when the call charge is totally half meaning Tk 3 per minute from GP to GP. Every GP Easy Pre-paid subscriber enjoys half rate for one number throughout the day.
Djuice, the new brand for the youth subscribers of GP, is providing some special facility. From the very first minute a 20 second pulse and call charge, from djuice to djuice and one U & I whether djuice or any GP number, of Tk 2.4 per minute during peak hour up to Eid-ul Azha and calls absolutely free of charge during off-peak hour after first minute up to next Eid. But djuice to other network is Tk 4.65 per pulse.
In case of GP national and GP regular during peak hours (8 am to 8 pm) call charge is Tk 4 per minute, during off-peak hours (8 pm to 11 pm) Tk 3 per minute and Tk 2 for super off peak hours (11 pm to 8am). GP national and GP regular subscribers enjoy Tk 1.5 per minute charge to three numbers for whole day.
AKTEL has also reduced call charge. During peak hours for Pre-paid customers (8am to 8 pm), the charge is Tk 4.3 per minute from AKTEL to AKTEL and Tk 4.9 from AKTEL to other networks. During off-peak hours (8pm to 12am) the charge is Tk 4.0 per minute from AKTEL to AKTEL and Tk 4.9 from AKTEL to other networks. During super off-peak hours (12am to 8am) the charge is Tk 2 from AKTEL to AKTEL and Tk 2.5 from AKTEL to other networks.
In case of Post-paid subscribers, the charge is Tk 4 per minute during peak hours (8am to 8 pm), Tk 3 per minute during off-peak hours (8pm to 12am) and less than Tk 3 during super off-peak.
Both Pre-paid and Post-paid AKTEL customers enjoy 3 FnF (Friends and Family) numbers where they can talk Tk 2 per minute throughout the day and night. Recently AKTEL has introduced AKTEL Exceed where call charge is Tk 1.9, 1.6 and 1.5 per minute within own network and Tk 1.5 for FnF numbers and Tk 2.5, 2.5 and 1.6 for other networks. But here for every call Tk 2.4 is to be paid excluding call charge.
For Banglalink's newly introduced package belinked under 'orange is sweeter' the charge is Tk 4.4 a minute from 10 am to 11 pm, Tk 3 a minute from 7am to 10 am and Tk 1.96 per minute from 11pm to 7am. From Banglalink to Banglalink the charge is Tk 2.5 from 7am to 11pm, Tk 2.2 for one 'my number' and Tk 1.96 during off-peak. In case of Ladies First, the special package for women, the charge is Tk 4.5 per minute for the whole day and Tk 3 for 12 pm to 3 pm. Tk 2 is the charge for a Banglalink number for whole day and Tk 4, 3 and 1.96 is the charge for upper class subscribers of post paid customers of Banglalink.
CityCell charges Tk 3 a minute from 8 am 11 pm for CityCell to CityCell and from 11 pm to 8 am the call is absolutely free within own network. From CityCell to other network the charge is Tk 4 during peak hours and Tk 2 for off-peak hours. For three One-2-One numbers the charge is Tk 1.5 per minute during peak hours and free for off-peak hours.
For the newly marked package of CityCell bundle the charge is Tk 2 per minute and bundle fee is Tk 2500 where subscribers will enjoy free 1100 minutes every month.
In case of Teletalk the charge is Tk 3.6 minute from 8 am to 8 pm and Tk 2.4 minute from 6 am to 8 am and 8 pm to 12am and Tk 1 per minute to other network and Tk 0.60 for own network.
In case of call charge Banglalink is in a competitive position and Teletalk is offering the cheapest rates than any other network even in terms of SMS.
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